Brampton Transit Considers Eliminating Zum Service to York U

Brampton Transit is constantly undergoing service improvements and changes. One such improvement over the years has been service to college and university campuses like Humber, Sheridan, York, and the University of Toronto Mississauga, allowing an abundance of students access to their respective campuses through transit.

Brampton Transit is constantly undergoing service improvements and changes. One such improvement over the years has been service to college and university campuses like Humber, Sheridan, York, and the University of Toronto Mississauga, allowing an abundance of students access to their respective campuses through transit.

This year, Brampton Transit has discussed big changes to the system, one of which involves the 501/501A route, or the Zum Queen, which connects to York University.

The Toronto-York Spadina subway extension will bring changes to routes that connect to the university. There are currently three options for service improvement to the 501/501A route to coordinate with the subway extension:

Maintain current service:

While this option would maintain current routes and services, limit the impact on current fares, and provide a connection to the subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC), York U would lose direct connection to GO services.

Route 501 to VMC / 501A to York University:

In this case, the 501 would service VMC and the 501A would service York U. This would provide a connection to the subway at VMC station, but passengers on the 501 wouldn’t have direct access to campus. Additionally, there would be no direct connection to GO services on campus.

Route 501 to VMC  / No 501A:

This option would provide a direct connection to the subway at VMC station, however, service to York U would be eliminated entirely. All passengers for York U would need to use the subway to travel to campus.

Currently, York U students who commute from Brampton have direct access to campus by way of the 501/501A route. Losing the 501A service would mean students will spend more time commuting, and likely face a fare increase by having to take both the bus and the subway to campus.

While commuters want the best possible service for transit, proposed options don’t always work in everyone’s favour.

Brampton Transit is currently considering the Toronto-York Spadina subway extension and the related realignment of TTC/GO/YRT/VIVA services, inter-regional connections, providing direct subway access, operating costs, and service to York U in reconstructing the 501/501A route.

All of the proposed changes are subject to council budget approval. Right now, the city is working on obtaining public feedback on the proposed route changes, which people can submit here.